Leadership

Associations and professional bodies increasingly face the same dynamics. Membership today is borderless, always on, and profoundly portable. For associations and professional bodies, the challenge is to build systems and cultures that reflect this reality, so that no matter where your members are, they feel their community is right there with them.

We’ve just wrapped up our very first Association Transformation Governance as Leadership Retreat , two days immersed in the messy,...

One of the most persistent challenges I encounter in association governance is the member who insists that, by virtue of paying their annual subscription, they are entitled to see everything: board minutes, confidential contracts, draft strategy papers, detailed management accounts, even notes from development meetings.

Membership bodies matter. They represent professions, influence policy, regulate standards, and serve communities. They deserve professional leadership, not amateur compromise. The subconscious assumption that “I’ve done it, so I can run it” might feel comfortable, but it is a false economy which boards and appointments committees must resist. Credibility with members is important, but without leadership capability, it crumbles quickly.

Star Trek Day is upon us, and while some may be celebrating by quoting “Live long and prosper” or revisiting their favourite episodes, I’ve been reflecting on a character who has quietly shaped my own understanding of leadership: Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Every interaction builds or erodes trust. Every conversation either strengthens a professional relationship or weakens it. The details get forgotten, but the feeling lingers. People remember how you made them feel far longer than they remember what exactly was said. That’s why leaders need to take their own communication so seriously. It’s not about being endlessly polite or sugar-coating everything. It’s about being intentional. It’s about understanding that the how is as im

What does Tony Stark teach about leadership? Not that he is a model to emulate wholesale, but that leadership is inherently messy, contradictory, and human, even in the Marvel Universe.

Shared leadership is not a shortcut to inclusivity. It is a demanding model that requires clarity, trust, and discipline. Done well, it can harness complementary strengths and broaden reach. Done badly, it confuses, divides, and weakens.

I recently completed an Independent Non-Executive Director (iNED) recruitment process for a client. As part of closing the loop, I...

Professional membership bodies exist to uphold high standards, represent their members with integrity, and embody the values of good...

When did membership become a countdown? In many (most?) organisations, belonging is framed as a one-year transaction, neatly packaged...

One of the most common phrases you hear around association and professional body board tables is: “We need to be careful, this is...

If you’ve worked with volunteer Boards of Directors in membership organisations, you’ve probably encountered a certain refrain: “In my...

Membership bodies are not famous for moving fast and nor should they be. Their role is to serve a defined constituency with stability,...

“Fail fast, fail often.” In the tech world, it’s become a rallying cry, a philosophy that champions experimentation, rapid iteration, and...

Across the membership sector, there’s a persistent paradox. Organisations will readily sign off six- or even seven-figure budgets for CRM...

Let’s be clear from the start: non-executive directors are not entitled to exercise executive authority. Their role is governance, not...

Last month I facilitated a planning session with the staff of a professional membership body. One debate, about how to treat retired...

Membership organisations are steeped in history. They carry the legacy of founders, past presidents, early pioneers, and sector-shaping...

While artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, the global membership sector appears to be hitting the brakes. Interest...